Measuring device with competing process control

ABSTRACT

A measuring device ( 10 ) comprises at least one measuring unit ( 35 ), each for executing at least one measurement function, and an application control unit ( 40 ) for controlling and/or administering competing processes caused by plural application interfaces acting and/or cooperating with the measuring device. Each application interface represents an application initiating and/or executing at least one measurement function, or a part thereof, and/or handling a measurement result of at least one measurement function.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Measuring devices generally comprise a measuring unit for executing themeasurement and a user interface allowing a user to control themeasurement and to read out measurement results. While most measurementdevices generally physically incorporate such user interface, it is alsoknown to provide such user interface through a computer system coupledto the measuring device e.g. through a GPIB-bus, or another known bussystem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improvedmeasuring system. The object is solved by the independent claims.Preferred embodiments are shown by the dependent claims.

According to the present invention, a measuring device comprises atleast one measuring unit, each being adapted for (preferably physically)executing at least one measurement function. Such measurement functioncan be, for example, to measure a physical parameter (e.g. power, loss,frequency, etc.) of a device under test (DUT). The measuring devicefurther comprises an application control unit adapted for controllingand/or administering competing processes caused by plural applicationinterfaces acting on and/or cooperating with the measuring device.

The term “application interface” as used herein shall represent any kindof application initiating and/or executing a measurement function, or apart thereof, and/or handling a measurement result of a measurementfunction. Handling a measurement result might be any kind ofvisualization (e.g. printing, plotting, displaying, et.), datadeposition (e.g. storing), data processing (e.g. pre- or post-processingof measuring results), etc. The application interface might berepresented by a user interface, a program (such as a computer program)or algorithm, feedback system, etc. The application interface might beinternal or external with respect to the measuring device, and couplewith the measuring device through any kind of transmission path (e.g.wired or wireless) again internal or external with respect to themeasuring device. A connection unit might be provided at the measuringdevice allowing coupling one or more external application interfaces tothe measuring device.

Competing processes can be caused e.g. by at least one of the following:one measurement function and/or result is accessed by differentapplication interfaces, different but interrelated measurement functionsand/or results are accessed by at least one application interface,different application interfaces are differently controlling onemeasuring unit or plural but interrelated measuring units at the sametime or as long as a current measurement function is executed,representing and/or modifying (e.g. same) measuring results by differentapplication interfaces, etc.

While the measuring device might comprise an own local applicationinterface, one or more external application interfaces might be coupledthrough the connection unit to the measuring device. The applicationcontrol unit administers the access of all application interfaces(whether external or internal) onto each measuring unit and furthercontrols access of the application interfaces for competing processes,so that e.g. a measurement function and/or result controlled by oneapplication interface (coupled to the measuring device) will not beinterfered by another measurement function and/or result controlled byanother application interface (also coupled to the measuring device).

In case that e.g. one of the application interfaces modifies measurementresults, the application control unit will coordinate such modificationwith the one or more other application interfaces also accessing thosemeasurement results. Such coordination can be e.g. that any modificationexecuted will be automatically provided to all other applicationinterfaces representing those measurement results.

Each external application interface adapted to be coupled to themeasuring device preferably comprises an application connection unit forcoupling the external application interface through the transmissionpath to the connection unit of the measuring device. Further, eachexternal application interface preferably comprises a control unit forcontrolling measurement function(s) to be executed, and/or forcontrolling a representation unit for representing information e.g.about the measurement function(s) to be executed, control parameters setby the control unit, and/or measurement results provided from themeasuring device. The representation unit might comprise a display,monitor, or the like.

In one embodiment, one or more application interfaces can be applied forcontrolling the measuring device as well as for only representinginformation about measurements actually controlled e.g. by a differentapplication interface.

In case that one application interface wants to act on a measurementcontrolled by a different application interface, the application controlunit of the measuring device will examine that request for potentialinfluences on this or other measurement functions and/or results andwill preferably either allow, reject or postpone such request, e.g.dependent on information available to the application control unit suchas e.g. priorities, overrides, algorithms, rule-sets, etc. Theapplication control unit can thus allow and control coexistence ofplural application interfaces without adversely influencing each otheror the measurements.

In a preferred embodiment, the transmission path is embodied as anetwork, which can be provided as wired and/or wireless network.Preferably, a LAN or a WAN is used.

In one embodiment, each application interface further comprises anidentification unit allowing unambiguously identifying each applicationinterface. This is in particular useful when plural (e.g. external)application interfaces act on the measuring device. Identification canbe realized by (e.g. automatically) adding a unique identifier ID of therequesting application interface to each request. This ID may e.g. bepassed to the application interface by the application control unit whenthe application interface contacts the measuring device the first time.

In a preferred embodiment, the application control unit provides controlfor competing processes caused by requests from one coupled applicationinterface, e.g. resulting from concurrently initiating or executingcompeting measurement functions. (by the same or different measuringunits). For that purpose the application control unit might execute aconsistency check for each request for a measurement function or result.

In operation when only one application interface is coupled to themeasuring device, the application control unit will e.g. fully allow thecoupled application interface to control each measuring device orrestrict access of the application interface e.g. depending to apredefined set of rules.

In operation when plural (internal and/or external) applicationinterfaces are coupled to the measuring device, the application controlunit will receive all requests from each application interface (e.g. tocontrol a respective measuring unit or to receive or modify informationabout measurements including measurement results). The applicationcontrol unit preferably uses the application interface ID, whichpreferably is a part of the request, to identify the initiator of therequest and to decide whether to allow the execution of the request, topostpone or to reject the request. In addition depending on itsconfiguration, the application control unit may inform other applicationinterfaces about the request. The actual behavior of the applicationcontrol unit depends on the current access rights of the applicationinterface to the measuring device.

In a preferred embodiment, plural measuring devices are coupled throughrespective connection units to a network. Each measuring devicepreferably has a unique address within the network. Each applicationinterface coupled within the network can then individually address eachmeasuring device for providing control or exchanging information asexplained above. Thus, each measuring device within the network can becontrolled e.g. from remote by a remote (e.g. external) applicationinterface coupled to the network. Accordingly, each applicationinterface can receive information from each measuring device within thenetwork.

In a preferred embodiment, a synchronization is provided in order toreduce or avoid dead lock situations caused e.g. when more than oneapplication interfaces access on more than one measuring units (of oneor more measuring devices). Such dead lock situation might arise e.g.when two application interfaces are each holding an exclusive access ona respective one of the measuring units, but both application interfacesare ‘waiting’ to access other one of the measuring units (for examplebefore resuming from the exclusive access). Such synchronization can beaccomplished e.g. by establishing a ‘master-slave’ relationship, so thatone application control unit is the ‘master’ application control unitand all other ‘slave’ application control units must synchronizerequests with this ‘master’ application control unit.

Deadlock situation can be avoided, if every application interface hasonly exclusive access to one set of measuring units at one time andfirst has to give back access rights of the complete set once it needs amodified set of measuring units and to acquire exclusive access rightsto the modified set from the application control unit within one step.Depending on the current state of the measuring device, the applicationcontrol unit may give exclusive access or not.

Preferred embodiments of the invention thus allow providing an entirelynew architecture for measuring devices by breaking off—without virtuallyany limitation —the conventionally rigid linkage between measuring unitand application interface. Embodiments of the invention even allow tofully separate (e.g. physically) measuring units from applicationinterfaces, so that no local application interface is required. On theother hand, since plural measuring devices in preferred embodiments arecontrollable e.g. by one application interface, effective control, e.g.on production floor with several measuring devices can be achieved e.g.even from (physically) remote.

In a preferred embodiment, an external application interface can beembodied as either one of a standard server or desktop computer, anotebook computer, a pen tablet computer, a handheld computer, or pocketcomputer, as well as a PDA or a mobile phone, or a hardware feedbacksystem, e.g. an automatic positioning system. If the externalapplication interface runs on a computer, it may be either equipped witha graphical user interface or may run as a service without any graphicalrepresentation. If the external application interface is equipped with agraphical user interface, it preferably uses a touch-screen for easypen-based operation. Examples for those touch-screen based computers arethe LifeBook B Series notebook PC or the Stylistic 3500, Stylistic LTP-600 or PenCentra 200 pen tablet PC provided from Fujitsu Computers.

The invention can be partly or entirely embodied or supported by one ormore suitable software programs, which can be stored on or otherwiseprovided by any kind of data carrier, and which might be executed in orby any suitable data processing unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the presentinvention will be readily appreciated and become better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considering inconnection with the accompanied drawings. Features that aresubstantially or functionally equal or similar will be referred to withthe same reference signs).

FIG. 1 illustrates an example according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In FIG. 1, a plurality of measuring devices 10A, . . . 10 i are coupledto a network 20. A plurality of external (with respect to the measuringdevices 10 i) application interfaces 30A, . . . , 30 j are furthercoupled to the network 20, which can be any kind of network e.g. usingwired and/or wireless transmission.

Each measuring device 10 comprises at least one measuring unit 35 eachfor executing a respective measurement function, an application controlunit 40 for controlling access of one or more application interfaces,and a connection unit 50 for connecting to the network 20. Each externalapplication interface 30 also comprises an application connection unit60 for connecting to the network 20.

In the example of FIG. 1, the measuring device 10A further comprises alocal application interface 70A having a display 80A and control unit90A. While the control unit 90A allows controlling measurement functionsprovided by each measuring unit 35A, the display 80A allows displayingmeasurement information such as measuring results provided by eachmeasuring unit 35A. In contrast to the measuring device 10A, themeasuring device 10 i does not comprise an own local applicationinterface.

In the example of FIG. 1, the external application interface 30Acomprises a display 100A and a control unit 110A just in accordance withthe functions of the display 80A and the control unit 90A. The externalapplication interface 30 j in the example of FIG. 1 is embodied as ageneral data processing unit having a monitor 100 j and a control unit110 j comprised of a standard processing unit with a terminal.

Each device coupled to the network 20 is provided with a unique addresswithin the network 20.

In the example as shown here, the application interfaces substantiallyrepresent user interfaces each allowing a user interaction. However,other type of application interfaces with or without option for userinvention can be applied accordingly, or example for periodically and/orautomatically executing measuring functions and/or to periodicallyand/or automatically requesting measuring results (e.g. for graphicalrepresentation or storing).

In operation, each measuring unit 35 of each measuring device 10 can becontrolled by one or more of the (local or external) applicationinterfaces (70/30). In an example wherein the measuring device 10A is tobe controlled by its local application interface 70A as well by theexternal application interface 30A, the application control unit 40Awill control each access of the local application interface 70A as wellas of the external application interface 30A onto the measuring unit35A. In case that the application control unit 40A detects competingprocesses requested by both application interfaces 70A and 30A, theapplication control unit 40A will administer such competing processesand provides control to either one of the application interfaces 70A and30A, dependent on pre-given information such as access priorities etc.

In an example, wherein the local application interface 70A presentlycontrols a measurement executed by the measurement unit 35A, and theexternal application interface 30A requests the measurement unit 35A toexecute a different measurement, the application control unit 40Awill—dependent on its setting—either refuse the request from theexternal application interface 30A, pause the current measurementrequested from the local application interface 70A, or wait with anexecution of the request from the external application interface 30Auntil the currently measurement controlled by the local applicationinterface 70A has been terminated.

In an example wherein the measuring unit 35A presently executes ameasurement requested and controlled by the external applicationinterface 30A, and the local application interface 70A requests amodification of the current measurement, the application control unit40A determines the priority of the application interfaces 70A and 30Aand will assign control of the measuring unit 35A to either one of theexternal application interfaces 30A or 70A dependent which one has thehigher priority. In case that the external application interface 30A hashigher priority, the application control unit 40A might reject therequest from the local application interface 70A. In case that thepriority of the local application interface 70A is higher than thepriority of the external application interface 30A, the applicationcontrol unit 40A might allow the request to modify the measurement.

In case that plural application interfaces 30 request control over oneof the measuring units 35, the corresponding application control unit 40will handle such request accordingly.

As seen from the example of FIG. 1, the measuring device 10 i can alsobe provided without local application interface and might be controlledby any one or plural of the external application interfaces 30 or evenby the local application interface 70A of a different measuring device10A.

1. A measuring device comprising: one or more measuring units, eachbeing adapted for executing at least one measurement function, and anapplication control unit adapted for controlling and/or administeringcompeting processes caused by plural application interfaces actingand/or cooperating with the measuring device, wherein each applicationinterface represents an application initiating and/or executing at leastone measurement function, or a part thereof, and/or handling ameasurement result of at least one measurement function.
 2. Themeasuring device according to claim 1, further comprising a connectionunit adapted for coupling one or more external application interfaces,external with respect to the measuring device, through a transmissionpath to the measuring device.
 3. The measuring device according to claim1, further comprising an own local application interface.
 4. Themeasuring device according to claim 1, wherein the handling of ameasurement result comprises at least one of: visualization, datadeposition, or data processing.
 5. The measuring device according toclaim 1, wherein at least one application interface comprises at leastone of a user interface, a program or algorithm, or a feedback system.6. The measuring device of claim 1, wherein competing processes ofplural application interfaces are caused by at least one of thefollowing: one measurement function and/or result is accessed bydifferent application interfaces, different but interrelated measurementfunctions and/or results are accessed by at least one applicationinterface, different application interfaces are differently controllingone measuring unit or plural but interrelated measuring units at thesame time or as long as a current measurement function is executed,representing and/or modifying measuring results by different applicationinterfaces.
 7. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein theapplication control unit is adapted to administer access of allapplication interfaces onto each measuring unit and/or to control accessof the application interfaces for competing processes.
 8. The measuringdevice according to claim 1, wherein the application control unit isadapted to control access of the application interfaces for competingprocesses so that a measurement function controlled by one applicationinterface, coupled to the measuring device, will not be interfered byanother measurement function controlled by another applicationinterface, coupled to the measuring device.
 9. The measuring deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the application control unit coordinates amodification of measurement results provided by one of the applicationinterfaces with each other application interfaces accessing thosemeasurement results.
 10. A measuring system, comprising: the measuringdevice according to claim 1, and one or more application interfacesadapted to be coupled to the measuring device, each applicationinterface comprising: an application connection unit for coupling theexternal application interface through a transmission path to theconnection unit of the measuring device, and a control unit forcontrolling at least one of: one or more measurement functions to beexecuted by the measuring device, a representation unit for representinginformation, control parameters set by the control unit, and measurementresults provided from the measuring device.
 11. The measuring system ofclaim 10, wherein at least one external application interface is appliedfor controlling the measuring device as well as for representinginformation about measurements controlled by a different applicationinterface.
 12. The measuring system of claim 10, wherein in case thatone application interface wants to act on a measurement functioncontrolled by a different application interface, the application controlunit of the measuring device will examine that request for potentialinfluences on this or other measurement functions and will either allow,reject or postpone such request, dependent on information available tothe application control unit.
 13. The measuring system of claim 10,wherein each application interface further comprises an identificationunit allowing unambiguously identifying each application interface. 14.The measuring system of claim 13, wherein the identification unit isadapted for adding a unique identifier of the requesting applicationinterface to each request.
 15. The measuring system of claim 10, furthercomprising plural measuring devices, each coupled through its connectionunit to the network.
 16. The measuring system of claim 15, wherein eachmeasuring device has a unique address within the network.
 17. Themeasuring system of claim 15, wherein each application interface canindividually address each measuring device for providing control orexchanging information.
 18. A method for operating a measuring system ofclaim 10, the method comprising the steps of: (a) when only oneapplication interface is coupled to one measuring device: allowing fullor limited access for the coupled application interface to control theone measuring device, (b) when plural application interfaces are coupledto one measuring device: receiving all requests from each applicationinterface to either control the one measuring device or to receive ormodify information about measurement functions and/or measurementresults, and controlling and administering competing processes caused bythe plural application interfaces acting and/or cooperating with the onemeasuring device.
 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising thestep of: providing a synchronization in order to reduce or avoid deadlock situations caused by requests from more than one applicationinterfaces accessing one measuring device.
 20. The method of claim 19,further comprising the steps of: establishing a master-slaverelationship, so that one application control unit represents the masterapplication control unit and all other slave application control unitsmust synchronize requests with this ‘master’ application control unit.21. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of: providingexclusive access for one application interface only to one set ofmeasuring functions during a time interval, removing the exclusiveaccess when a modified set of measuring functions is requested the oneapplication interface.
 22. A software program or product, preferablystored on a data carrier, for executing the method of claim 18 when runon a data processing system such as a computer.